val Academy--why does he have
to be sworn in as if he were enlisting?"

"Because he, practically, has enlisted. He enters the government service
when he enters the academy, and he simply takes his oath of allegiance."

Mrs. Morton's questioning was interrupted by the entrance of Sherm,
Frank, and Marian, who came in demanding news.

"Don't worry, Mother," said Frank, patting her shoulder, "your precious
lamb is in good hands. He'll be back next September such a dude the
family won't know how to behave in his presence." Frank couldn't resist
teasing even when he tried to comfort.

Mrs. Morton sighed. "A great many things can happen in a year."

"Yes, Mother dear, they can, but most always they don't. The only things
you can depend on are bad weather and work."

A letter soon followed the telegram, giving details of the examinations,
and a glimpse of Ernest's new life, which comforted his mother, because
he was forming punctual habits and had to go regularly to chapel whether
he wished to or not. He had met Carol unexpectedly, to their mutual joy.
"He's an awfully handsome chap--knows it, too, but I think he has too
much sense to let it spoil him. It's jolly to have some one I know
here," Ernest wrote.

School began for Chicken Little at the little brown schoolhouse a mile
distant, on the fifteenth of September. Chicken Little and the whole
Morton family rejoiced, for she had been a most dissatisfied young
person of late. Her mother watched her walk away down the lane,
immaculate in her new flower-bordered calico, lunch basket in hand, with
positive thankfulness.

"Glad to have her out of the way, aren't you, Mother? Jane is too
restless a girl to be idle," laughed Marian.

Jane had spoken to her father about her plan for Sherm and he had
heartily agreed. But Sherm was not to begin until the first of November
when the most pressing of the farm work would be over.

Chicken Little promptly talked the matter over also with the new
teacher, Mr. Clay, a young man of twenty-one, fresh from his junior year
at college. He was wide awake and attractive, and while ignorant, as
they, of many of the niceties of polite society, seemed a very elegant
being to the majority of his new pupils. Mamie Jenkins had concluded to
stay at home for the fall term instead of going to the Garland High
School. For some reason it took an astonishing number of consultations
with the teacher to arrange Mamie's course satisfactorily, especiall